Drifter
by Swiftstart
Summary: Everyone's got a story. Even Johnny Spirit. Listen to him as he drolls on bout just how he wound up in detention for so long and just how bad things were for monsters in the 'old days'. Some swearing.
1. Chapter 1

3,000 years? That's bull. School ain't even that old. I don't know how long it was but it sure wasn't that long. Goes to show that even immortals have short memories. If they didn't then someone would know how long I'd really been down there. Well, I sure don't know. My name is Johnny Spirit, and I like to think I have a long memory. My memory goes all the way back to when monsters were still underground. Times then were bad, and if you had claws or fangs, then those normies would make you wish you'd never been born. A bit of a cruel irony for those of us who started out normie and ended up monster.

You'd think that with all those vampires ex-normies are a pretty common thing. We're not. Mostly we're just hard to kill, and when you can 'live' for thousands of years, and a new one pops up every half century or so, well it can get to seem like there's a lotta you around. Most barely even remember what it felt like when their heart beat and actual blood ran through their veins. Anymore I'm not even sure I remember. As far as ex-normies go there's pretty much 3 groups: vampires, zombies and ghosts; blood drinkers, brain eaters and drifters. And out of these sorry faces the zombies are by far the most common, it's whether or not they're functional that's another story. The sort you get at Monster High are the minority; most zombies are totally mindless blood thirsty, well, monsters. The zombies at Monster High all for some reason or another held onto just enough self-identity to be well, the slow, moaning, zombies we know and love. After them in regularity are the vampires. And there's really only so many of them cause they're a pain in the butt to kill and they live for pretty much forever. Most aren't under 200 years old. After that, we have the ghosts. Me. We're the rarest.

See ghosts, we're funny. Most ghosts don't stick around too long; they spend a day or two moping over their lost life and then they move on. Those who don't well… it depends. Hate to be so vague but it's never the same from one drifter to another. Some search endlessly for closure, and then some just plain decide to stay. Then some… some lose their minds. Become poltergeists. Needless to say there's not a lot of us. And while we're the best rememberers, most forget what it meant to be alive.

I didn't. Like I said I have a long memory, I remembered my life. It doesn't matter now what it was like, I know now it was nothing special. I played a little violin, hung out with the boys, danced with the girls and I liked it. Then it was gone. Just like that. I got myself in a mess too big for me and then bang! I was dead.

At first I felt nothing; I wasn't even fully formed, not yet. I was just a mind on the breeze, drifting. I saw my own funeral, but didn't really understand what was happening, like a dream. I watched them close the coffin lid and drop me six feet under. I saw people crying and saying things like 'ain't it a shame' and 'he was always such a good boy' and all the while I couldn't feel nothing. And the more and more I felt nothing the more and more I started to feel something. It's hard to explain but it was like a fire got in my heart and grew and spread all over me, filling in my fingers and toes. Then it wasn't a dream, it was real. I was real. And I was dead. Oh my God I was dead. I'd died. I'd died and I didn't pass on. I was stuck. I was confused and angry and I was still here, not there. And the more and more I thought about how stuck and angry and confused I was, the more and more I formed until suddenly I wasn't just a mind on the wind; I was fully formed. I was a ghost.

I didn't know what to do or where to go. I almost went home but didn't. I didn't wanna upset my Ma. I wound up drifting instead to those places where all us kids hung out. To be honest I don't remember where I finally found everyone, but I remember looking through clear window glass at them all. They was sitting around talking, laughing, crying some. All my boys and girls, just having a good time. Were they talking about me? I'd wondered, pressing my hands and face up against the windowpane. Were they talking about me? I leaned in closer. Closer. Just trying to hear what they were all saying; too much. I fell through the window and they saw me. They all saw me. I laughed, getting to my 'feet', and said hi, I waved just trying to be all natural like, they screamed.

"M-monster!"

What? Me?

"Get it away! Get it away!"

"Someone call for Van HellScream!"

"Ghost freak!"

They were talking about me! They- my friends, were scared of me! I tried to tell them it was me- it was Johnny, I'm Johnny, but it was like every time I said 'Johnny' all they heard was 'monster'. It was a monster, it was a monster. I'm a monster. But no… no... I'm no monster, I tried to say, I'm Johnny... I'm… I'm…

I'm a monster. That's what they saw. It must be true. I wasn't Johnny anymore. Not to them, maybe not even to me… I realized I couldn't remember last name anymore, if that wasn't a sign I wasn't human no more then what was? I drifted aimlessly through the town, hiding whenever Van HellScream's monster sighting alarm bells went off. The sightings were probably because of me, the monster. Scared and confused as I was, I knew what happened to monsters if they got caught by HellScream and his men. I'd seen it. That 'trick or treatment' was no joke, and I didn't want nothing to do with it. So I hid. I had no idea where monsters were supposed to go; I'd heard they lived underground in some sorta catacombs, but that sounded crazy. How could all that be under the town and no one accidently fell in it or something?

So I sat up on some church roof, in the rain, and felt sorry for myself. Pretty typical behavior for a guy who's up and died, at least that's what I told myself. I didn't have anywhere to go. Didn't know anybody to turn too. And I didn't have a name no more. So what'd that leave me with? A sour personality and an intangible actuality. So basically, nothing worth writing home about. Somehow it never occurred to me that night that I coulda found my last name out just by going through the cemetery and finding my tombstone, I mean, I was basically looking right at it. I was on the church roof. But I guess even I'm not that morbid at my worst. At some point I decided it was time to get off that roof and go and find some monsters.

I was a ghost now right? So I could just drift down underground and since I was already dead it's not like I could suffocate or anything, so, no loss for me if it turned out that there were no catacombs. So that's what I did. I drifted. I drifted down and down. At first there wasn't much more than dirt and I started feeling pretty foolish but then… then there was space. Ok more like no space cause it was an opening or whatever, the point is, I found them. I found the catacombs. I mean granted at first I thought I'd found the sewers or some shit like that but then I saw them. The monsters.


	2. Chapter 2

The monsters. Man where do I even start? Before then I hadn't ever seen so many monsters in all my life. See, things were different back then. Monsters didn't just go shopping at the Maul or out for a stroll or none of that crap. Monsters were the things normies was scared of and sure as heck were never wanted around. You think things are bad now? Ha. You don't know shit. Back then monsters that were stupid enough to go above ground and out of the catacombs risked the trick or treatment. I heard bout what happened to that Hyde guy last Halloween, and not to make what happened to him sound like no big deal or nothing, but that sort of thing was pretty commonplace in my day. Monsters, when I did see them, were usually running to save their own skin- or losing it. So what I saw when I drifted down there, down into the catacombs, was well, terrifying.

I'm not gonna sugarcoat it or try and act like a bigger man than I am or anything; I was freaking scared. I knew I'd see monsters but somehow I figured I wouldn't see so many or that the ones I did see would be like me: basically human and stuff. Boy was I wrong. I saw hairy monsters, multi-eyed monsters, monsters in every color and size; one was even on fire. It was crazy. At first I did my best to cling to the wall; which is hard to do when you're incorporeal, but then I started to realize that none of them cared bout me. They didn't try to eat me or hurt me or run and scream for that matter. They treated me like people. They didn't treat me like a monster, they didn't treat me like a monster. I was a monster but… but I was people too, ya know?

Once I realized things were cool, I started drifting in with the monsters rather than trying to avoid them and stuff. Pretty quick I learned the ins and outs of things. Turned out that underneath all of New Salem were these Catacombs, an underground monsters only city. Normies didn't know bout them, and if they were stupid enough to wander down into them then they regretted it, straight and simple. And while they weren't no paradise, the catacombs were safe. A monster could raise a family down there without worrying about them getting the silver bullet. Some monsters hadn't ever gone above ground even, they'd spent their whole lives in the wandering sprawling mess of halls that was the catacombs.

I quickly learned that some monsters wanted that to change, one Miss Bloodgood to be exact. Believe or not but Bloodgood was sorta young once. She's always been a total pain in the rear, but fact is she's a serious rule pusher and while she'd never admit it but she's probably one of the greatest assets to monster rights since well, ever. As for me, well… I'll get to that. Anyways Bloodgood wanted to do something crazy. She wanted to start a school for monsters, better yet, all sorts of monsters. See while lots of types of monsters lived in the catacombs, specific kinds tended to stick to their own districts. Vampires lived here, werewolves there, gargoyles elsewhere. If you thought normie-monster relations were bad, monster to monster relations were almost just as bad. Vamps and wolves just didn't mix, ya know? But Bloodgood, see, she was crazy. Not only did she want to make them mingle, but she wanted them to do it above ground- that's right. An above ground school. She's lucky she didn't get stoned or something for that kinda crazy. She was literally suggesting that monsters send their young next door to the chopping block. She only got away with talking bout any of it at all cause her Daddys so important, headless horseman and all that.

I remember she came to me specific, literally picked me off the street and asked if I'd want to do learning at this school she was wanting to build. At first I told her I didn't want nothing to do with it. But then well, she made me an offer I just couldn't refuse. See, while I'd been hanging round in the Catacombs and all that, I didn't have anyplace to stay. I'd been sleeping in alcoves and corners. Since I'm a ghost eating didn't matter, ghosts eat only for pleasure not for need, but it was rough. Not having anywhere to stay. I could hang out at the local theater and play violin whenever I want, but I couldn't spend the night there so it was no home. It was just a hang. I didn't have a place to call home. So I was getting chased from one doorstep to another, not belonging anywhere. Since we ghosts are so rare we didn't have a 'district' or a section like the vamps or wolves, and I guess most normally stay near wherever they died. So I was something of an oddity for those who knew stuff bout ghosts. I wasn't tethered to anywhere, I just drifted wherever. I'd been sitting on that night's doorstep, violin in one hand, and a half-eaten sandwich in the other. I don't know why I'd wasted good money on food. I didn't need it. Heck if anything it was a waste for me to eat it. It could have gone to some were-pup or something that needed it. It just… I dunno, it just made me feel more... alive? It was silly. Anyways I'd been sitting and eating when she came riding on over on that giant horse of hers.

"Johnny Spirit?" She had said curtly. I'd grimaced. Spirit was the last name I'd taken on. Since I didn't know my real one after all, whenever people asked for my name I'd just sorta tack Spirit on. It fit I guess.

"What'dya want?" I'd huffed, glaring up at this rich-lady looking all domineering like over me on that giant-ass horse.

"I was wondering if I might interest you in a project of mine." Bloodgood had said, getting off her horse.

"I ain't interested in helping you with your charity work lady," I glowered, taking the wrapper to my sandwich and tossing it a little ways out.

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it's not a matter of charity. I am starting a school." She'd replied all serious like. I remember I'd looked up at her like she was crazy or something.

"Sounds awful charitable to me." I'd said darkly.

"Well if it were a conventional school, then yes, it would be. Unfortunately it's the popular opinion that I'm actually doing the public a disservice. As a result, it is not an act of charity." Now I was interested, what was this rich-chick talking bout?

"Lady, what kinda school are we talking here?" I'd asked.

"One for monsters. Of all kinds. In New Salem." She'd replied simply.

"New Salem- what like in the main underground or-" She'd cut me off before I could continue.

"No, New Salem, above ground."

"A school above ground? Lady you must be some kinda crazy." I'd said, shaking my head back in forth in disbelief.

"Hence the fact that I am apparently doing a disservice."

"So what'dya want me to do with this?" I'd asked then.

"I was hoping that you would be interested in becoming one of my first students. At present we have only a small few from very ranging families, but I understand you started your unlife very recently and might be interested in furthering your education."

"Huh." I'd grunted, taking it all in.

"There would also be room and board available to those students in need." She'd added, aha. Bingo. That's why she targeted me. I had nowhere to go, and here she was offering me a place on a silver platter. And frankly... that silver platter looked good. Real good. Heck, I'd get to feel the sun again. And that'd feel more alive than just eating sandwiches that get mildewy from all the underground damp. Almost alive.

"Sign me up." I'd said, getting to my feet, and that was that.


	3. Chapter 3

For the first time in a long time, things were looking up. Even though the school was above ground and shit the normies didn't give us no trouble. My figuring is that they was too scared. They didn't know how many of us there was and that was our saving grace. They sure knew exactly where we was; when Bloodgood made the school she made sure to follow all the proper normie channels. She said that if we play by their rules then they'd have a hard time pulling crap with us. I guess when she was first setting things up she'd posed as a normie to get the paperwork through, or rather never said that she wasn't one. Bloodgood may be some rich paper pusher, but she's probably the smartest lady I ever met.

She built the school big. There was enough space there for maybe probably two thousand monsters, never mind the 34 of us. The first class, the unlucky 34 we called ourselves. Bloodgood built us out from a crazy mishmash of kids from the street like me and kids from crazy families like herself. I don't know how many of them are immortal returners to monster high or whose families are still in the school, but those were good times. The best times. Yea.

The biggest thing though was that for the first time since well, since I, well, since I died I had people. Just like the old days, I had my boys. I had friends. Ah man, there was Max Malice and Tom Purrkins And even though we was from all different walks of unlife, we were cool. Of the three of us, I was the only ex-normie, I was the ghost. Heck, I was the only ghost of the 34. Tom was obviously a werecat; he was a 'stray' kid like I'd been. And Max was one of them generic kinda monsters; he had purple skin and funny ears but other than that he wasn't anything too special, he was just Max. Gosh… Anyways we'd fang out and do all the normal things monsters do; we'd go down into the catacomb city after classes for a bite or just to hang cool ya know? Sure folks'd stare and whisper something horrible bout how we were 'Monster High' boys and would probably be killed in our schoolroom and all that sorta shit. But we didn't care. I didn't care. I was having fun for the first time, I was happy and, I'm not gonna lie, I was learning things and I liked it.

I remember when we had the first school dance. There was a lotta drama bout it cause of us 34 there was a lot more guys than gals if you would believe it what with all the ghouls running round now a days. But so that meant that some of us would be brining dates and naturally the below-ground folk as we unlucky 34 started calling them didn't like that. See the dance was gonna be above ground in the school. They was all like, sure, we don't care if you idiots get yourselves killed but don't go dragging our kids into it. I remember laughing bout it with Max as we walked down through the zombie district to her house. See, I'd had my eyes on this one ghoul by the name of Charlotte DeGhoul and funny as it may sound comin from me, I was scared to even talk to her. See, I knew what I thought of her but well, I didn't really know what she thought of me. And most people was scared of me. I got a mean face and a mean bark so they say. Max'd say it's all in my eyebrows.

I remember looking in the mirror before heading over wondering if it was in the eyebrows and if she'd be scared of me. She went to a fancy zombie private school too which meant that she probably didn't think too highly of Monster High either and really I'd only talked to her a few times when we'd go for food and stuff. She liked to wear the color blue and the sound of my violin, she said she liked Handel and asked me if I knew any. I told her no but I could learn and she'd smiled sorta sad. Most monsters don't play him, she'd said, all they like to play is Boothoven. And I knew what the subtext of that was: cause Handels a normie. I'd gone right to Bloodgood then and asked her if she could order a music book for me, violin, I'd said firmly, Handel. I didn't know nothing about who this Handel guy was or if he even sounded any good, but I knew I wanted that blue ghoul to smile. Silly right? Anyways Bloodgood was able to get it for me. And I learnt it. And now I was going to ask Charotte to the dance with Max as my wingman.

God that night… this is a hard one. So Max and I, we arrived at her doorstep and rung the bell and waited. Nothin. We rang again.

"Maybe they're just being real slow?" Max had suggested, "They are zombies after all,"

"Maybe." I'd grunted, violin case in one hand, cheap rose in the other. If my heart still worked it'd be hammering like no tomorrow. Something bout all this didn't feel right.

"Max," I'd said, glancing round me.

"Hang on, I'm just trying to get a look," Max had said trying to peer through the little barred window in the door. "I don't see nothing…"

"Course you don't, they ain't there. Or if they are they aren't coming." I'd said gruffly, moving to put that cheap rose back in my breast pocket.

"What you giving up that easy? Johnny I thought you were tougher than that," Max had said grinning.

"It's no good Max," I'd said all defeated like, "Even if I do get to talk to her it's not like her folks'd like her go. Above grounds dangerous. Specially for zombies cause they're slow."

"Johnny, Johnny. If guys gave up that easy bout girls all the time then there'd be no people left on Earth!" Max had said, I didn't comment on the unlikelihood of his statement. "Listen come on- I got it. Play your violin."

"What?!" I'd exclaimed, quickly dropping my voice down to an irritated hiss. "Max your crazy I can't do that- not out here, not in public and shit."

"Why not? Girls like broad gestures of affection. I know that fer a fact." Max had said all matter-o-factly.

"You read that in one of them dumb magazines!" I'd hissed at him, still trying not to raise my voice. My eyebrows probably looked real mean.

"So what if I did? It's true. Sides, why else did you spend all that time learning that normie song?"

"I- I…hggh." He had me there. "Fine." I hissed. Still glaring at him I opened my violin case, checked the bow string and taking a ghost's deep breath began to play.

The Handel sonata was definitely no monster song. It was too delicate and sweet: not anywhere near edgy enough to be the sorta thing monsters would come up with. It was frilly and fluffy and the music drifted down the streets and through the catacombs; probably everyone in the whole district could hear it. I'd never been so embarrassed before. But I kept playing anyways. Monsters stopped and watched and I slammed my eyes shit so I wouldn't see them. See normally when I play… normally when I played it was all by myself in that theater rehearsal space by that big old organ. No one watched me or nothing. I don't think anyone had ever really heard me play before then.

Truthfully the piece I was playing was supposed to be a duet, played alongside an organ or a harpsichord or something like that. Only I didn't know no one who played those and I wouldn't have the guts to ask them to play with me if I did. As I played I wondered if maybe, if maybe Charotte played and if that was why she'd asked if I knew Handel to begin with. Where was she? Had Max been right- did she come out? I didn't dare look. Instead I just kept focusing on the music; staying in time and playin a good tune. It was only when I'd finished that I opened my eyes.

Applause. Cheers. And mostly importantly, her. She was there. Charotte had come out of her house to watch. She came. And she was smiling ear to ear. My imaginary heart swelled up to something like 50 times it's size then as I looked around. People liked it. People thought I sounded good, she thought I sounded good!

"The dance Johnny, the dance!" I heard Max whisper in my ear. Oh right! The dance! That was the whole point of this thing. Holding my bow and violin in one hand, I reached into my breast pocket and pulled out the cheap rose with the other.

"Charotte- I was wondering if… if you'd…" Ah gosh what a sorry coward I was. Out the corner of my eye I could make out Max gesturing for me to continue. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Monster High spring formal with me." I blathered out in a single breath.

Her response seemed like forever to come, and all the world seemed like it had stopped while I waited.

"Yes." She said smiling, wearing that blue dress of hers, "Yes I'll go with you."

And that was the happiest moment of my entire unlife up to that point. Figures it couldn't last.


End file.
